Becoming a real estate agent is an exciting career where you meet new people and help them with the biggest financial transaction of their lives; buying and selling real estate. You are driven to success and know the market where your niche is, so now all you need is… more clients.
You’d think it would be easy to find buyers and sellers to work with, but it is a very competitive industry. You need to develop a strategy to find new clients, so your business will grow. Here are six lead generation tips you can use to increase your success.
Tip #1: Use real estate technology
This digital age is all about an online presence, and if you don’t have one, you are missing out on leads. You can be the most charismatic person with the gift of the gab, but if people can’t find quality information from you on the net, you are at the back of the pack.
Develop a great website with lots of information, including pictures, videos and active listings. Make sure you have a landing page optimized to convert visitors to leads by getting contact information quickly before they navigate away from your site.
Another useful real estate technology is a CRM system. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. This tool allows real estate agents to coordinate information about their leads and contacts. A real estate CRM will make lead generation seem a lot easier.
Tip #2: Blog about real estate
Your website should be a growing source of information where buyers and sellers come to learn about all aspects of real estate. People go on the net to find information, and you need to bring in targeted traffic from search engines to your site to create leads.
Blogging is easy when you understand your niche so write about the housing trends in your city and fun recreational activities your family can do for leisure. Moving and packing tips and home maintenance blogs do well, and you are solving problems for homeowners. Post 10-15 blogs a month, so there is always new information on your site and build a mailing list of potential clients.
Tip #3: Get involved in your community
Are you finding it hard to meet new potential clients? Get involved in what’s happening in your local area and start talking to people.
Attend local events and different conferences that come to your city. This could be a franchise expo or travel showcase, especially holiday celebrations that bring out the public. Have a booth and provide information to people looking for real estate.
Charities and volunteer groups are other great places to meet people and get behind a worthy cause. Be genuine about your intentions and support charities that you feel close to. People want to work with a kind real estate professional who supports their community.
Tip #4: Real estate testimonials and referrals
People love to read personal testimonies of satisfied clients on a realtor’s website. It is personal and direct with real people who have had a great experience working with you. You can have a review page on your website and create videos with your customer’s feedback. When people are happy, they love to share their positive experiences. Post these videos on your site as well as through your social media.
Setting up a referral program rewards clients when they help you spread the word. This incentive motivates them to generate real leads because word of mouth spreads fast.
Tip #5: Expired real estate listings
Some homes don’t sell, and the contract expires, leaving the homeowner disgruntled and still in need. You can follow up on these expired listings and give them a fresh take on the market and what you have to offer.
They may be skeptical because of their prior experience, but this is your opportunity to show them your unique way of marketing their home. These are sellers motivated to sell, and you can provide them with your excellent service.
Look through the MLS for expired listings every day or use a prospecting service to find them for you and their contact information.
Tip #6: Online real estate ads
There are several platforms where you can use ads to generate leads. These ads target people based on interest, location and demographics so you can match the right clients to properties.
- Facebook ads are a great place for pictures and videos that showcase properties and surrounding neighbourhoods.
- Google ads allow you to advertise your real estate business with different campaigns.
- LinkedIn Ads is a professional network you can market to.
You should also have a continuing presence on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram. Get involved in the conversation around real estate and inform and entertain on these platforms. This is how you build a brand in the modern era.
Other proven lead generation strategies are:
- Open houses
- Cold calling
- Lead generation software
- Divorce leads
- Absentee Owner sales letters
- Hosting a seminar
The bottom line is that you have to get out there and beat your drum because no one will do it for you. Build and brand and make sure everyone sees it. Then work hard to solve problems for homeowners and get the word out about how amazing you are.
